"I kept hoping there could come a way for them to be together, although even I despaired at a happy ending. Some things just looked to insurmountable to overcome. I couldn't believe the surprises that were in store as Byron and Summer each fall more and more in love with each other. Overall, I found My Unfair Lady to be a charming read."Reviewer: Robyn Roberts Overall Rating: 5.0http://www.onceuponaromance.net/MyUnfairLady.htm

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

That's right! This is my very last blog post before I crawl back under my keyboard and immerse myself in my next book. Stop by http://muchcheaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/ post a comment, and be entered to win an autographed copy of MY UNFAIR LADY. Good luck!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A teacher from my son's old high school spent her day standing in front of a local grocery store handing out flyers for the Red Means Stop Coalition. She lost a student to a red light runner. I couldn't imagine losing a child at such a young age, and thought the least I could do is pass along the word about this non-profit organization. Although the readers of my blog probably aren't the ones who need the reminder, it would help to pass along the word to others: Red Means Stop, not Go-Faster-to-beat-the-light.

Here's a bit of the article that I received which ran in The Arizona Republic:

Jennifer Hinds: Young dreams ended by a red-light runner.After nine years of marriage, Jennifer Lynn was our first child. She was born on a Tuesday morning, June 19, 1979. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a beautiful dimpled smile.In High School, the DECA club helped her mature, as did her job at the new Arrowhead AMC theater. She was impatient, however, and wanted to get on with her life. New York and the fashion industry were calling to her, although we convinced her that NAU would be a great place to start, and not so far from home.Unfortunately, Jennifer's plans were not to be.Six days after Jennifer and her friends were T-boned in the intersection at 59th Avenue and Sweetwater, her life ended.

Thousands of injuries occur every year from red light running, and hundreds of deaths. Jennifer's story is but one. To find out more about the coalition, please visit: http://www.redmeansstop.org/

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Since this is my last post before the holidays, I wanted to extend my warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas, and my hope that Santa is good to you. :}

I have resolved this year to take some time during the hustle and bustle to gather calm around myself, to sit back and watch my loved ones that surround me, to memorize their faces and this one moment in time, to preserve it as a precious memory, because life is about change and nothing will ever be the same again as it is at this one moment.

It's not something I ever thought to do before, at least, not purposefully.

But I've realized that it's so very easy to take for granted those that surround you; the friends and family whose love and caring make life worth living.

Christmas can sometimes be peaceful or just plain bonkers. The little ones can get cranky from lack of sleep and all the excitement, the older ones just as cranky from last minute shopping, baking, and just plain trying to factor in Christmas when there's already not enough hours in the day to meet the demands of normal life. And you know what? This year I'm going to sit back and enjoy every crazy minute of it.

And thank God for this precious moment.

And for those of you who celebrate other faiths, I wish you the same indelible memory of your own peaceful or crazy, wonderful moment with your friends and family.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Today I'm at: http://siamckye.blogspot.com/ where I'll also be talking about my new series, THE ELVEN LORDS, and previewing the cover of book one, THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER. Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for MY UNFAIR LADY. This time the book is coming from me, so you'll get an autographed copy if you win!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

And tomorrow on December 16th, I'll be at Sia McKye's blog talking about MY UNFAIR LADY, and my new Georgian Fantasy romance series, THE ELVEN LORDS. Preview the initial cover of book one, THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER: http://siamckye.blogspot.com/ (Leave a comment, enter to win my book!)

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Congratulations to Judy C from Holden, Louisiana, who won the cameo for the special blog contest at Night Owl Romance! And on top of that, a $10 gift card from NOR! We had a ton of entries and lots of fun, thanks to the wonderful owner of NOR, Tammie King.

For those of you who purchased any of my books during the week long tour, please send in your proof of purchase for delivery by 12-20-09.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Today I'm taking a step back in time to Victorian London to interview Summer Wine Lee, the heroine in MY UNFAIR LADY. Her Chihuahua is smaller than mine, and has a charming habit of attacking shoes. Come meet them both at:My Book Addiction and More http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/Leave a comment & be entered to win a copy of MY UNFAIR LADY. (My publisher is providing all these give-a-way copies of my book for this tour...ain't that amazing?)

Monday, December 7, 2009

So what does my favorite TV show, DESTINATION TRUTH, have to do with historical research? Find out on my guest blog today at:http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/Again, leave a comment & be entered to win a copy of MY UNFAIR LADY.

Friday, December 4, 2009

http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=2128Feeling a bit uninspired? Stop by my post at Fresh Fiction today, and perhaps a few of my ideas will help. (And yes, if you leave a comment, you're entered to win a copy of...MY UNFAIR LADY!;)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

As you can guess from the title, My Unfair Lady was inspired by the movie My Fair Lady, based on Shaw’s Pygmalion. About an American heiress who goes to London to hire a sponsor to turn her into a lady, I’d like to celebrate the release by telling readers what I love the most about my heroine, Summer Wine Lee.

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspAlthough I like that Summer is bold, and a bit dangerous, and a product of her environment (she’s more of an Annie Oakley than she is an Eliza Doolittle), I think my favorite thing about her is her compassion. It’s her greatest strength, and sometimes her greatest weakness.

She can’t turn her back on the suffering of ‘critters’, and picks up quite a menagerie of hurt and stray animals. Since she spent most of her life growing up on an Arizona mine, she relieved her loneliness by adopting her first friends, some coatimundi’s. (These are really cute animals native to the Southwest desert.) As an adult, she picked up a cat named Moo-moo who has issues which makes her climb to feel secure, a three-legged dog named Lefty, a large dog named Sweetie who is a bit of a coward, and a tiny little Chihuahua named Chi-chi. Unfortunately, she can only bring Chi-chi with her on her voyage to London, but Summer and her friend Maria manage to rescue a monkey and a baby fox while in England.

Summer’s compassion also allows her to see beyond the surface appearance of a person. She does this with the hero’s mistress (which, unfortunately for my hero, the Duke of Monchester, causes their immediate breakup). Summer hires the duke to sponsor her and sees beyond his façade of arrogance as well, although it will take some time before she can truly unveil the entire character of the man that lies beneath.

Unfortunately, Summer’s compassion is also the reason for her insecurity. She carries a secret from her past. An action that she was forced to commit, but can’t forgive herself for. She thinks she wants to be turned in to a lady because she’s engaged to a man in New York who is connected to the Astor family, and they’ve made it clear to her that she’s an unacceptable bride. But as she works toward this goal, her secret creeps out to haunt her again and again, until she finally realizes why she wants to be a lady. And that it might be impossible.

But the duke finds out her secret, and is determined to help her.

And Summer’s compassion gets her into more trouble. She’s beginning to find out some contradictions about the duke and his family, and resolves to help him as well. When she discovers that someone might even be trying to kill him, she cannot turn her back on him, even when it would be in her best interest to do so. As she uncovers even more truths about the duke, she also finds herself growing more attracted to him. And her compassion for her fiancé prevents her from acting on those feelings, throwing Summer into more confusion. But her strength carries her through, and although sometimes she’s forced to make some difficult decisions, I can’t help but admire those that she does make. And eventually Summer will use her compassion for herself, as well, to discover her own inner truths.

Although Summer’s compassion might have made her story a deeper, more serious study of her character, her personality, penchant for outrageous behavior (at least as far as London society is concerned) and habit of caring for her critters makes the book a fun and light-hearted journey of self-discovery. The predicaments she gets into, and her unique way of solving them, are always fueled by her compassion…for better or worse.

So what is one of the traits you admire the most in your favorite heroine? And why? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

He created the perfect woman…The impoverished Duke of Monchester despises the rich Americans who flock to London, seeking to buy their way into the ranks of the British peerage. So when railroad heiress Summer Wine Lee offers him a king’s ransom if he’ll teach her to become a proper lady, he’s prepared to rebuff her. But when he meets the petite beauty with the knife in her boot, it’s not her fortune he finds impossible to resist… For the arms of another man...Frontier-bred Summer Wine Lee has no interest in winning over London society—it’s the New York bluebloods and her future mother-in-law she’s determined to impress. She knows the cost of smoothing her rough-and-tumble frontier edges will be high. But she never imagined it might cost her heart…

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

"My Unfair Lady has everything I look for in a romance story. I cheered for Summer, wanted to hug and save Byron, my cheeks hurt from grinning so much and I could not put the book down until I’d read it from cover to cover. If this book is a representative of Ms. Kennedy’s regular style, I’ll be looking into her back list. I’d recommend this book to all my friends."~Rating: 5/5 Books, Reviewed by Xeranthemum for Long and Short Romance Reviews http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-unfair-lady-by-kathryne-kennedy.html

***** FIVE STARS! Historical Romances by Kathryne Kennedy always has something for everyone. This one has hot romance, suspense (someone is trying to kill Monchester), humor, and so much more. Summer's collection of adopted pets kept me constantly amused. She has a monkey, a vixen, an old cat that cannot use its hind legs so it gets around by using ... Never mind. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed the odd animals. For the history buffs, the story tells much about history in America and England. Prince Albert Edward even makes several appearances. As I said, something for everyone. I loved every moment of Summer's story! The author, Kathryne Kennedy, is more than good. She is downright smashing! ***** ~Reviewed by Detra Fitch for Huntress Reviews http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:ixNQyppnuz8J:www.huntressreviews.com/histrom.htm+%22my+unfair+lady%22&cd=201&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Authors, a heads up. SingleTitles.com just relaunched, sporting a full site makeover and a contest to celebrate the new look. They’re offering up $450 worth of advertising as prizes. If you write romance, mystery or thrillers you should head over and check out. http://www.singletitles.comI love this site, and they have been very supportive to authors, including myself, so it's my pleasure to pass on the word about this contest.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I recently had one of my dreams come true. I had wished that some day I might receive a starred review from Publishers Weekly. As many writers know, it’s an honor just to get reviewed by Publishers Weekly. Receiving a starred review is just…unbelievable. So needless to say, when my fabulous publicist at Sourcebooks, Danielle, emailed me to tell me that My Unfair Lady received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, my first response was to email her back and ask, “Are you sure?” (Can you blame me?)

Danielle assured me it was a starred review, and even sent me the link, in case my dazzled mind still couldn’t grasp the truth of it.

Kennedy (Beneath the Thirteen Moons) delivers a delightfully unusual Victorian romance. Unlike other American heiresses mingling with London society, Arizona railroad heiress Summer Wine Lee isn't looking for a husband or a title. In fact, she's already engaged. She just needs some social polish so she can marry a rich New Yorker. To this end, Summer hires Byron, an impoverished duke who ekes out a living by bringing Prince Albert gossip. Summer is equipped with a free-spirited best friend, a menagerie of abused stray animals and a host of unladylike skills; Byron has a strange stepfamily, a shrinking violet mistress and a murderer determined to do him in. Their chemistry has plenty of humor, and their passion is intense and breathtaking. Full of unexpected period details of cosmetics and hunting, this romance goes against type in a wonderful way. (Dec.)

The thing is, life can hand you so many blows that you can become numb to the fact that, yes, good things can still happen. If you continue to work toward your dreams. For me, I have faced a year of difficult personal challenges, one right after the other. I think the only thing that kept me sane was focusing on the positive aspects in my life, one of which was my writing.

So for anyone reading this whose life has been difficult lately, it might help to know that yes, dreams do come true. Continue focusing on the positives, ignore the negatives, and work toward those things that you have the power to change.

Have you had one of your dreams come true lately? Whether personal or professional, please share it in the comments. I’d like this post to be a positive affirmation of all the good things that happen to people…and that dreams really do come true.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

This quick and entertaining read is for any fan of the genre. Kennedy's writing is witty and enjoyable; she looks to have a bright future.

Summary: Summer Wine Lee is determined to become the society miss that her future New York blueblood in-laws demand. To do so, she and her closest friend Maria have traveled to London to transform her into a lady and gain an introduction to the Queen.Enticed by her financial offer, the impoverished Duke of Monchester grudgingly agrees to aid Summer in her transformation, but his scathing wit and cold personality fail to have an effect on her. Intrigued, the duke soon realizes that Summer may just be perfect the way she is. Now he just has to convince her. (SOURCEBOOKS, Dec., 363 pp., $6.99) HOT

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I just finished my posts for my upcoming blog tour for my December Victorian romance release, My Unfair Lady, and I think it's going to be lots of fun, so please mark your calenders for the following days:

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Dear Kathryne,Thank you so much for the beautiful cameo. I can already picture the necklace I am going to make for it. Every time I wear it, I will think about your books. My sister (who was the person I sent the email to) loves the messenger bag she received as well. Keep on writing the great books so I can keep on reading them!Chanda

Saturday, October 17, 2009

All this week I've been working on blog posts for my upcoming guest blog tour (more info to follow) for the December release of my Victorian romance, My Unfair Lady. Since I've been discussing my dogs who inspired Chi-chi in My Unfair Lady, I couldn't resist sharing some recent photos of them. (Er, my dogs are part of my family. I am goofy about them.) The short hair is Baggins, the long hair is Precious, and yes, I'm a fan of Lord of the Rings. :)

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

She received the beautiful cameo pictured above. The winner, Chanda N. from Texas, wrote: Thanks, I rarely win anything, so when I do, I feel it's a great honor. And especially from an author I love to read. Please keep putting out the great books.

It's always such a treat for me when a true fan wins!

Chanda's friend, Kira N., also from Texas, won an item of her choice from my e-store, a messenger bag with the fairy on a rose design.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

The Elven Lords books are historical fantasies, and although I tweak the world into an alternate universe of magic, I do ground myself in the history of the time, and do quite a bit of research on the period. It's what I'll be doing over the next few days, which many times, helps to add to my story and my characters. The elven lord in The Storm Lord's Daughter resides in Bath, England, so I've been researching that area and found a lovely book in the public domain called The New Bath Guide (printed in 1789) which is a pocket guide for those visiting Bath for the first time. It's one of several amazing resources compiled by The Beaumondes, a group of writers who share their extensive research (it has a search feature). Here's the URL: http://delicious.com/thebeaumonde

And although I've already studied the clothing of the eighteenth century for The Fire Lord's Lover, I like to add a bit more detail with each book, so here's one more site I'll be visiting over the next few days (although I have to warn you, it may be too much information): http://www.theweebsite.com/18cgarb/1700.html

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Help me launch the December 2009 release of my Victorian romance novel, MY UNFAIR LADY! The prize for this SECOND contest is a genuine agate cameo framed in 14kt yellow gold featuring two lovers embracing. See photo and description at: http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/contest.html

This contest is all about spreading the word about MY UNFAIR LADY. To enter, just post the following blurb anywhere on the Internet (Chatrooms, Forums, Blogs, Myspace, Facebook, Etc.) Please, no inappropriate sites, and the blurb cannot already be mentioned on that site. If you don't own the site, please verify that it's okay with the site owner to post the blurb.

A winner will be randomly chosen from those with a verifiable link. Entering the contest automatically signs you up for the author's newsletter. Your information will be kept confidential. Contest ends November 30, 2009. The winning entry number will be chosen using RANDOM.ORG. Void where prohibited by law. You must be 18 years or older to enter. No prize substitution permitted. This contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Wanted to pass along a new FREE research tool (if you don't count our tax dollars ). From an author on our local RWA loop, I just learned that The Oregonian newspaper has helped spread word about a pilot program called My Info Quest. Anyone can send a question using a cell phone via text messaging and, within 10 minutes, a research librarian will respond via text messaging. The service is staffed by librarians from across the country. Any random question of no particular genre will be answered.To use the service, send a text message with the code WCC before the question to (309) 222-7740 weekdays from 6am to 8 pm and Saturday from 7am to 3pm.More details here: http://www.myinfoqu est.info/On a related topic, an historical author buddy of mine shared info with me a while back about Multnomah County Library's research line -- you can call or email any question, and they get back to you within a day or two. I've had good luck with, I think, two of my three questions.http://www.multcoli b.org/contact/

I haven't tried it yet, but now when I have a burning question I can't find the answer to, I have more resources in my research arsenal. :} Our RWA authors rock.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I received some comments back from my critique partner today, so all stop on book two, while I go back to book one and clarify some things I thought were clear. I love getting comments from my cp's. It enables me to step back and have a fresh perspective on my story.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Would you like to post one announcement on your blog and have it sent out to (almost) all of your social networks? Using Twitter is a good way to do so without giving away the passwords to your email accounts. There are sites that advertise linking your networks as a service but they require your password to do so—I urge you to protect your passwords! This process may be a bit more time-consuming, but it will save you hours of cross-posting. (Please note that I use Blogger.com for my personal blog, I assume these directions will also work on other blogs like WordPress, but I don’t have personal experience with those.)

LINK YOUR BLOG TO YOUR TWITTER PAGE

First, sign up for Twitter. Here’s my Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/KathryneKennedy/Just click the “Join Today” button on my page. Follow the directions for setting up a profile, it’s quick and easy.

Now go to: http://twitterfeed.com/ Click on “Sign in with OpenID” just below the Login button. A new window will open, allowing you to sign in with your Google, Yahoo, etc. accounts (sign in to those accounts first before going to TwitterFeed for quick access—your password will stay hidden either way). You can now add your blog feed to Twitter. Please note that this is different than the regular URL for your blog. Mine is: http://kathrynekennedy.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default If you’re not sure how to get your blog feed URL, click the help button on Twitterfeed, and they have directions on how to get your feed (helpful hint: add the gadget “subscribe to this blog” to your blog and the atom feed icon will post for you to click to get the URL feed for your blog.)

Your blog entries will now post to your Twitter page, using the first few words and a tinyURL (which is a link back to your blog’s entire post).

LINK YOUR TWITTER POSTS TO YOUR MYSPACE & FACEBOOK PROFILE:

Both of these network sites are similar in the way they post your Twitter entries by using Applications (Apps). Sign in to your Facebook and/or Myspace Account and then:

On Facebook, look on the very bottom of the left hand side of your home page and click on Applications. Click on “Browse more applications”. In the “search apps” box, type in Twitter, hit the “enter” key on your keyboard. Click on the Twitter by Twitter app, and follow the directions to enter your blog link. When activated, your tweets will now post on the very top of your profile page and in your news feed.

On Myspace, at the top of your home page, mouse over the “More” tab, and click on “Apps Gallery” from the drop-down menu. On the right hand side there is a “Search Apps”. Type in Twitter, hit “search”. Choose the “iTwitter” app and follow the directions. A box will now appear on your Myspace profile page with your latest tweets.

OTHER NETWORK SITES:

So basically, you now have your blog feeding to your Twitter account, and your Twitter account feeding to your Myspace and Facebook sites. If you are a member of any networks on ning (BookPlace, Fans of Romance Novels, Readers & Writers of Distinction Fiction, etc.) your blog can be fed directly to your profile pages by clicking the RSS FEED on the left hand side of the page, and entering your Blogger URL. You don’t need a Twitter account for this.

I hope you found this helpful. If you’d like to share any of your own tips for linking your posts, please feel free to comment!

Sunday, September 27, 2009

For me, it helps to define my character. My heroine in The Storm Lord's Daughter is easy, since she is a minor character from The Fire Lord's Lover, and her personality is already half-formed in my head. But my hero...he's half elven, lithe, gorgeous and a warrior. I'll be doing a lot of searching for just the right name for him. Since my books are historical fantasy, I also like to use names from the appropriate era, in this case, the eighteenth century, Georgian era. I'll be using reasearch books on my hunt, but I also came across a nifty site that I use to search for names common in different centuries: http://www.thepeerage.com/index_custom.htm These are for the peerage, and it lists the year they held the title, and even different countries. Great resource!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

I finished The Fire Lord's Lover, book one in my new series, The Elven Lords, and it's out to my CP's now. The world is set, the rules are made, and now I'm brainstorming book two. Today I'm looking at titles. I don't always come up with one before I write the book. Sometimes I'll find a good title within the narrative. But I like to start with a title for inspiration, especially since I start with just a glimmer of an idea for the plot. So I googled my two choices: The Storm Lord's Daughter and Daughter of the Storm. The first one got 8 hits (looks like D&D stuff--perfect!) and the second pulled up 8 million. Makes it easy; I like titles as unique as my books. Working title for book two is: The Storm Lord's Daughter.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Help me launch the December 2009 release of my Victorian romance novel, MY UNFAIR LADY! The prize is a genuine agate cameo framed in 14kt yellow gold featuring a lovely profile of a lady with a bird perched on her finger--see my contest page for a full description: http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/contest.html

It’s a win-win contest for you and a friend! Only one entry per friend, but you can enter as many different friends as you’d like.

A winner will be randomly chosen using RandomNumber.org. Contest ends September 30th, 2009. Void where prohibited by law. You must be 18 years or older to enter. No prize substitution permitted. This contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Congratulations to the winners of my private newsletter contest. Donna M. from Canada won an autographed copy of BENEATH THE THIRTEEN MOONS, and Maria R. from New York chose as her prize a red fairy t-shirt from my on-line shop.

And congrats to Dianna R. from West Virginia, who won my newsletter subscriber contest, and received the gorgeous 5 carat London blue topaz necklace. She's been a newsletter member for several years and a devoted fan, so I couldn't be happier for her! Here's a little note she sent me (with her permission to share) upon receiving her prize:

From:"MizTo:kathryne@kathrynekennedy.comMessage contains attachments

I got it, and it is beautiful!!! Boyfriend has promised to get me a pair of earrings to go with it but he is going to be hard pressed to find something so lovely to match.

Thank you, thank you Kathryne!

Dianna R.

I have updated my website with the cover of my upcoming release, MY UNFAIR LADY. You can check it out here: http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/ I will be posting the first chapter to my site soon!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Welcome to one of my characters from my new release. Before I get started with the interview, I want to mention that WHITNEY IN CHARGE is available in e-book format at www.desertbreezepublishing.com, Amazon, and other online places. If you want to know more about my writing, feel free to post questions in the comment section.

Physical Description: Whitney is 5'9", dark brown shoulder length hair, green eyes. Education: Whitney left her hometown in Ohio to attend college in New York City.

Diane: Whitney, would you like a cup of coffee before we start the interview?

Whitney: Yes, I would. Black, please.

Diane: (pours a steaming cup of coffee) I think it's interesting you moved back to Cornett after living in New York. Do you miss the big city?

Whitney: Thank you. (takes cup from Diane) I loved producing the morning show, The Bold News, but when my mother became ill, I decided it was more important to return home to take care of her.

Diane: Do you ever think about returning to New York?

Whitney: (shakes her head) It has too many sad memories. I was happily married to Rob Benson, and he died while reporting the war news in Iraq.

Diane: (leans closer to Whitney and touches her arm) I'm so sorry. He was a wonderful reporter.Whitney: A couple of months later, I learned my mother was dying from cancer so I focused all my energy on taking care of her. Being close to my family has been helpful. I see my sisters, Shannon and Regan a lot and their families.

Diane: Are your sisters younger or older than you?

Whitney: Both are older. I'm the baby in the family.

Diane: (smiles at Whitney) I am, too. That has advantages and disadvantages.

Whitney: (rolls her lovely green eyes) Tell me about it.

Diane: There's a big age difference in my case. How about you? Are your sisters close to your age or quite a bit older?

Whitney: My oldest sister, Shannon, is eight years older and Regan is only three years older. I'm 31. (she sighs) They just signed me up to go skydiving. I told them no but I'm sure they will keep trying to get me to go.

Diane: I guess they want you to experience something that's fun but different. Although it doesn't sound like fun to me. Do your sisters like to go skydiving?

Whitney: (shakes her head) They've never gone. A lot of the skydivers are male so they thought it'd be a good way for me to meet guys. But I told them I'm capable of finding my own dates. I'm just not sure I'm ready to meet someone new right now.

Diane: Even though skydiving seems like a bit much, that's nice your sisters care so much about you.

Whitney: Concentrating on my life helps them to stop thinking about our mother dying. She just died recently.

Diane: Maybe you three should go on a cruise.

Whitney: (laughs) They made me go on a cruise. Shannon and Regan thought it'd be romantic and I'd meet some hot single guy. But there were mostly couples on the ship.

Diane: (grins at Whitney) They do seem determined to find you someone.

Whitney: I should move on with my life, but they also need another purpose to get closure to our mother’s death. (She sips her coffee with a thoughtful expression.) I want to do something with my sisters. We need to focus on something new and fresh.

Diane: What about going into business together? That would definitely keep them busy.

Whitney: (looks excited) Hey, that's a great suggestion. That might work for us. And I need something to do with my free time since I don't plan on returning to New York.

Diane: Who's your best friend?

Whitney: I'm close to my sisters so I think of them as friends. But Molly's my best friend. She was my maid of honor. (a sad expression crosses her face) Actually she introduced me to my husband. I need to call Molly sometime. She wants me to visit her in New York but I hate flying.

Diane: Do you have any other fears?

Whitney: (is quiet for a moment) I'm afraid to love again.

Diane: When the time's right, you'll be able to let go of the past.

Whitney: I hope so. I loved being married. I just regret we never had children.

Diane: Children are blessings. And you're young yet so you can easily have children someday.

Whitney: At least I have two nieces and a nephew to enjoy now. That's been a definite benefit to moving back to Ohio.

Diane: What is the one thing you'd love to learn how to do?

Whitney: (grins) I'd love to learn how to play the drums.

Diane: Cool. Do you come from a musical family?

Whitney: (shakes her head) No, but I did play clarinet in the high school band. And I sang in the church choir and did a few solos in plays.

Diane: I can see you playing the drums. One more question before you leave. What is your favorite dessert?

Whitney: (answers quickly) I love cheesecake.

Diane: Cheesecake sounds yummy. Thank you so much, Whitney, for stopping by for our chat. Good luck with starting a new business.

Whitney: Thanks for having me. I've enjoyed it.

TV producer Whitney Benson is tired of her older sisters’ attempts to fix her up with every single male they meet. Shannon and Regan cross the line when they arrange for her to go skydiving with the simple excuse that more guys like to float in the air than women. Whitney meets two eligible bachelors, Jack and Ben, who constantly battle for her affection. Which one will she choose? Both men make Whitney realize, even a heart shattered by her husband’s death, can once again be made whole. But did she have to fall off a cliff to learn that?

EXCERPT:

Whitney and Shannon joined Regan at the door.

“I thought Nate was a hottie, but this guy’s even better looking,” Regan said in a raspy whisper.

“Hey Regan, you think we can get a refund from the guy at the skydiving place?” Shannon asked while gazing at the new man outside. “Who needs to go looking?”

“When did he move in?”

Whitney knew better than to comment too much on her new neighbor. Her sisters might take it upon themselves to rush over and tell him that she was available. But crap, did he have to be shirtless and have broad shoulders? If he always worked in his yard like that, she’d have a hard time not staring at him.

“I think it was last week when I noticed the moving truck. Would you two married women stop drooling?” She took another glance and he waved. “Great. He sees us watching him.”

Regan raised her eyebrows. “Since you haven’t mentioned him to us, I guess you haven’t met this gorgeous guy yet?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen him,” Whitney admitted.

A small, black-haired boy, ran from behind the house. That answered the question whether he was a family man or not.

“I wonder if his son is Lily’s age,” Regan pondered.

“Don’t forget little boys usually have mothers.” She better remind her sisters of this fact before they made wedding plans for Mr. Hottie and her.

Shannon moved away from the screen. “If there isn’t a wife, you’re wonderful with kids.”

“First Nate the Skydiver, then Jack the Paramedic…is my new neighbor now Bachelor Number Three?”

“Let’s find out if there is a wife around.” Regan pulled on Whitney’s arm. “Come on. We better hurry. He’s pushing the lawn mower into the shed.”

“I’ll go. But you two have to quit acting like I’m a hopeless old spinster. I managed to get married once, and I don’t need help in getting dates again.”

Shannon rolled her eyes. “You haven’t gone on any, have you?”

“No, and the reason is because I’m not ready to date.”

Shannon opened her mouth to argue, but stopped mid-breath at the ringing of her cell phone. Whitney sighed in relief. She shouldn’t have to elaborate on why she wasn’t going to date. Not now and maybe she’d never date anyone. Losing Rob had been too painful.

Shannon glanced at her caller ID. “I’m sure you two can fill me in later about the new man. I better get this. It’s Caitlyn.”

Opening the screen door, Whitney said, “Let’s get this over with. At this rate, we’ll never go into business together.”

Regan and Whitney crossed the yard to the neighbor’s. As they approached, the boy stopped kicking his ball and said, “Hi.”

Whitney smiled at him. “Hi. You have a good kick.”

The boy looked at them carefully. “My daddy knocks people out. You two should be easy. The fat ones give him problems.”

Regan laughed. “Is he a boxer?”

She heard a chuckle and turned to see Mr. Hottie ─ or ‘Daddy’ as the case may be ─ walking around the corner of the house. Whitney took a step to meet him halfway and extended her hand. “Hello. We’re neighbors. I’m Whitney Benson. And this is my sister, Regan Dunn.” She grinned. “And please don’t knock us out.”

As he walked toward them, she noticed how thick his short-cropped hair looked and she liked his warm brown eyes. He had a great tan. She wondered if he worked outside in construction or something.

“I’m Ben Spencer,” he said as he took her hand in a firm grip, not shaking it but just holding it. “This is my son Adam. I guess I better work on teaching Adam to say anesthesiologist. And Adam, I never said fat patients but said overweight ones are harder and more risks are involved for surgery.”

“That’s a relief. I’d hate to think you were a violent person living next door to my single sister.”

Whitney was going to throttle her sister! How could Regan be so obvious? She hurried to speak, hoping to keep Regan from saying something more embarrassing, like asking him if he was single. “I hope you like living here. It’s a nice neighborhood.”

“I liked our other house better,” Adam said with a pout, bouncing the ball off the ground.Whitney nodded. “It takes time to get used to a new place. I still miss where I used to live.”

“How old are you, Adam?” Regan asked. “I have a daughter Lily and you two might like to play together.”

“I’m six.”

“Lily’s six too,” Regan said. “You’ll have to meet her. Do you go to Clark Elementary?”

Ben ruffled Adam’s hair. “I’m having Adam finish first grade at his old school since it’s close to the end of the year.”

Why didn’t he put a shirt on? The sweat glistened off his strong muscled upper body. She was as bad as her sisters wondering if he had a wife or not. “I guess we better let you get back to your yard work. Maybe sometime we can have you, your wife, and Adam over for a barbecue.”

“That’s a good idea,” Regan said. “Adam can meet Lily so he’ll know someone when he starts the new school next year.”

Adam glanced at his dad and Ben patted his son on the back. “I’m divorced. Adam’s mom lives in Seattle.”

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

A mysterious stranger . . .Danni Jones believed everything about her past-that she was an unwanted child abandoned by her mother. That she was an outcast set apart by her clairvoyance. That she was alone. Then came the stranger. Dangerously seductive Sean Ballagh appears out of nowhere with a startling story that will challenge everything Danni thought was true.

A lost woman . . .He claims that Danni's family has been searching for her ever since she disappeared twenty years ago. He's come to bring her home to Ireland. But Danni fears there's more to his story than he dares to reveal. And the only way to find out is by following Sean back in time, to a forgotten past, to a world where nothing is what it seems.

A terrifying legacy . . .Now, in a land where the mystical and the occult are as vivid as the emerald fields, Danni must rewrite history to save her family, to fight a force more evil than she ever imagined, and to reunite with the one man she was destined for-or live forever in time as nothing more than an ethereal memory, a tragic and haunting beauty.

Order a new* copy HAUNTING BEAUTY by August 30, 2009 and I'll enter you into a grand prize drawing for books, merchandise and other great stuff. To enter, email me a copy of your proof of purchase and you will be entered to win $100 dollar gift card to either Borders, Barnes & Noble or amazon.com (your choice of one) AND 20 books--many autographed by author-- AND a Haunting Beauty tote, coffee mug and mouse pad and a photo album! (*must be a new copy to qualify)

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Bookplates are basically self-adhesive stickers that an author can autograph and send to their readers to affix into their books. I've wanted to provide these for my readers (who are unable to attend my booksignings) for quite a while, but I knew it would be a time investment. After I began researching prices, I was horrified to discover that it would be such a costly dollar investment as well. One very reputable site that I've heard of from several author loops offers 500 full-color stickers for $500...and it seemed like the prices didn't vary much from that (they did offer 500 for $80, but these are only single-color stickers.) So, after several hours of research, I finally found some affordable ones, and thought I'd share to save other authors some time:

What's nice about PSPrint is that you can choose custom sizes, they charge $40 for 250 full-color stickers (I chose 3x2 inch stickers, which seemed a good size for paperback books--see picture above) and the more you order, the less expensive they are. You have to size and upload your own artwork, but if you have any problems, their customer service department is super helpful (based on my own personal experience).

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

A fellow author is having a contest where readers can win wonderful prizes for entering, so I thought I'd share the details. I had the honor of reading an ARC of Haunting Beauty, and it's a fabulous book that will earn a place on your keeper shelf to treasure forever, so don't hesitate to enter!

Order a new* copy HAUNTING BEAUTY by August 30, 2009 and I'll enter you into a grand prize drawing for books, merchandise and other great stuff. To enter, email me a copy of your proof of purchase and you will be entered to win $100 dollar gift card to either Borders, Barnes & Noble or amazon.com (your choice of one) AND 20 books--many autographed by author-- AND a Haunting Beauty tote, coffee mug and mouse pad and a photo album! Right now Haunting Beauty is on pre-order sale (30% off cover price) at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Now, this wasn't something I thought much about, until I received my new book cover (Isn't it beautiful?). I've always assumed that publishers cut off the model's heads so that readers could imagine the faces for themselves (our imaginations are often times much better than reality). But I found out that there is a subconscious marketing technique at work here. Publishers know that they only have seconds to capture the interest of a reader, whether he/she is looking through books in a bookstore or on the internet. So if you glance at an image that is incomplete your brain registers that within seconds...and you're more likely to take a second look. Then you might be tempted to read the cover, the back blurb, and hopefully, purchase the book itself. But those first few seconds are the most crucial, which is why publishers invest a great deal of research in producing an eye-catching cover.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Alex Caruthers is a sassy socialite who knows when it’s time to turn in her dancing shoes and kick some serious dragon booty. But when Ginjin—the dragon warrior who’s tried to kill her numerous times—chooses her as his mate, Alex finds herself in a situation that’s too hot to handle.For help she turns to Jake, head of Caruthers security—and a total hottie in a suit—and asks him to pose as her boyfriend. Their relationship might be fake, but Alex can’t deny that one touch from Jake makes her burn hotter than any dragon could.

Friday, July 3, 2009

I left this guest post until the last minute not because I was procrastinating, but because I wasn’t sure how to phrase all the things I wanted to cram into it. You see, I’m very thankful to all the blog hosts who’ve supported me during this month-long online book tour and to all the bloggers who’ve left lovely comments along the way. I certainly have to thank Kathryne for being the kind soul to finish off the tour today.

There are kind people doing good deeds all around us. It’s the kind people in my life who inspired the loveliest of characters in the novel I’m promoting during this tour. CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS has some complex evil bad guys, I won’t deny that. We’ve mentioned them during the tour. But there are wonderful, good, pure, loving, devoted, loyal, endearing characters as well. I’d like to talk about Kora Rothahn Taiman in particular.

Kora is the matriarch of the Taiman family when the reader is introduced to the CHOICES series. You don’t learn it right away, but you figure out soon enough that she’s a former goddess. This beautiful woman of compassion gave up the life of immortality and comfort in the city of the gods (Mahriket) to live in the mortal world and raise another woman’s child. She is the picture of self-sacrifice and loyalty. Everyone who comes in contact with her owes her gratitude.

Our fabulous heroine, Amanda Chariss, reluctantly accepts Kora’s help in the beginning of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and tries to flee the first chance she gets. She knows who Kora is—the daughter of The Master Rothahn—and she fears for Kora’s safety. Because the complex evil bad guy chases Chariss, the heroine wants to get away from the lovely benefactress as soon as possible. But Kora won’t hear it. She’s convinced she can help Chariss and her wizard guardian.

I’ll let you read the books to see how that turns out. You can read excerpts from my current novel, CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and the upcoming CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS, at my brand new website http://www.authorsandylender.com, but I encourage you to become followers at my blog, too. Now that the online book tour is ending, my tour organizers will pull winners of the hardcover, first editions of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, and I’ll post those at my blog. I’ll also have new articles, new info, and new contests in the works there. http://www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com

Now for the interactive part of today’s post. Is there someone loving and caring in your life that you owe gratitude? Is there someone you’re thankful for? Chariss, Nigel, Hrazon, Master Rothahn, all of Kora’s children, the lesser goddess Mia, all the citizens of Arcana City, and more are thankful for Kora Rothahn Taiman. Who are you thankful for? “Some days, I just want the dragon to win.”

Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? Will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Then I have such a treat for you! While I'm recovering from surgery I've been working on some fun stuff for my readers, and have updated my e-store with new fairy logos. You can check out all the original artwork here: http://www.cafepress.com/KathryneKennedy(There's also a direct link from my website.)

Since this is advertising for me, I make no profit on the sales so the prices are very reasonable. I will be using my e-store for contest prizes and more, so stay tuned. And if you're an author, do you have an e-store for your readers? It's great fun and totally free! Click on the link in my store to start your very own. (One caution: check with your publisher before using your book cover artwork on any merchandise. Most publishers do not purchase the rights from the artist for this sort of venture.)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

It’s free, although usually when I first pull it up a pop-up ad will appear. But after I close it I don’t get any more of them on my subsequent searches.

The main reason I use it is because of the historical aspect of my books. At the bottom of the definition it gives a word origin date. If I use a word that strikes me as possibly too modern, I look up the definition for the origin date. Now, obviously, I can’t do this with every word I write or I’d never get a book finished, but if something strikes me, I’ll look it up. Usually it’s the longer words. For example, I wanted to use ‘paradox’ but that sounded like it might be a more modern concept. But apparently the word originated in 1530 (although its meaning has changed since the word was first used). Séance is a word I looked up for Enchanting the Beast. It originated in 1795, which is okay for that Victorian series, but it’s not a word I could use with my new Georgian series.

I also like that the site has other options for a thesaurus and reference. I do a quick search here, but if I’m looking for just the right word, I’ll refer to my print thesaurus, which has many more options. The reference, though, comes in handy. For example, I wanted to make sure I was spelling ‘geas’ correctly (and even now my spell check underlines it). But when I looked it up in the dictionary, it came back that no such word exists. Now, I’m aware it’s a fantasy term, and I know it exists, so I hit the reference button. Sure enough, it pulled up ‘geis’, which apparently is another spelling I wasn’t familiar with, but scroll down and sure enough it talks about a ‘geas’.

In my current WIP, I wanted to use ‘black diamonds’ as a comparison to my hero’s eyes. But alas, the term did not originate until 1910 (probably because we didn’t have the technology to create them until then). So, I will have to come up with some other comparison.

I use it as a quick reference for hundreds of other reasons and I hope you’ll find it handy as well.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I attended the Romantic Times Booklovers convention in Orlando, Florida in April. It's a fun way to network and meet readers, and I highly recommend the experience! Here's a few of my adventures in pictures:

Cover model Konstantinos Lelis portrayed my hero from Enchanting the Beast, Sir Nicodemus Wulfson, at the Mr. Romance competition show. This is the screen displayed in the ballroom.

Konstantinos in a tux (to reflect the Victorian era) and stalking his prey. (Lucky girl!) I think he did a fabulous job of portraying Sir Nicodemus, capturing my hero's predatory nature and dazzling charm on stage.

And here he is sweeping the girl off her feet (literally--he picked her up in his arms and carried her away). Big sigh. He had the perfect rugged handsomeness to portray Sir Nico.

My Dorchester editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, in white at the podium, and all of the Mr. Romance models. I'm glad I didn't have to judge the winner, the models were all so handsome (although I have to admit I would have chosen Konstantinos;).

Behind the scenes at the Faery Ball. We're all waiting to be presented on stage. This is a mix of the Seelie (good faeries) and the Unseelie (b-a-d faeries). Our faery queen, Eden Robbins, is center, and Cassie Ryan is helping adjust her wings. Isabella Clayton is walking over to help, and you can see her lovely wings from the back. The modern fae on the cell phone is Joey W. Hill.

One of my fellow Seelie, Tia Dani, looking beautiful and elegant in her little wings.

Lori Combs-Graves, an Unseelie. Oh, yes, she has a very sweet smile, but I can guarantee she is one b-a-d faery.

So here I am in my Victorian faery costume just outside the ballroom, a very *good* faery (is the halo of light around my head strange, or what?). What I like about this pic is that I appear to be floating off the floor...which is no surprise, since I had the biggest wing-span of all the faeries!

Here I am after the Faery Ball with my agent Christine Witthohn from Bookcents Literary Agency. Not only is she a terrific agent, but a lot of fun to be with, as well.

And out to dinner with my Sourcebooks editor, Deborah Werksman (on the right) and the owner of Sourcebooks, Dominique Raccah (on the left). Wonderful, brilliant women.

This is from the huge book fair, with about 300 authors signing their books. At this point I'm exhausted and in a daze...but having the time of my life! The pretty girl next to me is author Beth Kery, a very sweet lady who I had the pleasure of sitting with.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

We have a winner!One of the perks of doing an interview at my own group blog is that I can add a special post to thank all of you who stopped by and commented, and to say congratulations to Theresa N., who Kim randomly chose as the winner. Theresa, email me at kathryne_kennedy@yahoo.com with your snail mail addy so I can send you an autographed copy of Double Enchantment.

It was such a pleasure to have you all stop by and comment, and such a rewarding experience to know that there are so many people who still believe in magic. I often think that's why I've continued to be an avid reader all my life, and why I became a writer. So I can keep the magic, adventure and passion in my life.

My son feels that too many people lose what he calls their 'whimsy' as they're growing up. He's made it his mission to nourish his, and he's been successful.

So thank you all for keeping your own whimsy a part of your life, and for nourishing it by reading.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

I will be guest blogging on the following days and locations, so mark your calendar! At each blog, I will be giving away an autographed copy of one of my books from the Relics of Merlin series. All you need to do to enter is to visit the blog on that day and leave a comment. Good luck!

Just wanted to let you know I'd received your package in the mail today. Unbelievable, it arrived so soon. The pendant is so awesome and such a pretty blue color. Too bad we had our digital camera stolen last year or else I would email you a picture of me wearing it. Love your books...keep them coming! Take care and have a good one...Lily

Sunday, May 3, 2009

In the third book of the Relics of Merlin series, ghost-hunter Philomena Radcliff comes to Grimspell castle to rid the residence of spirits, but she finds most haunting of all a reclusive werewolf suspected of murder.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

We have a winner of the second contest for Enchanting the Beast. Congratulations to Lily Woo, of San Francisco, CA for her entry emailing a friend about the RELICS OF MERLIN series. I'll be posting a note from her when she receives the pendant.

I'm still playing catch-up and recover from RT Orlando (which totally rocked!) and I'll be blogging about it soon. In the meantime, I have a post up at Fresh Fiction today titled, What type of shape-shifter are you? and you can join in the fun here: http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=1735

Thursday, April 9, 2009

My Dorchester editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, is having a fabulous contest at: http://romanticreads.net/The prize is over $100 in free books, many of which, like mine, are pre-releases.And not only that, it's an easter egg hunt, and looks like so much fun!Check it out. :}

Monday, April 6, 2009

I'm honored to say that book one in the Relics of Merlin series, Enchanting the Lady, has finaled in the Colorado Romance Writer's Award of Excellence contest. Here's the list of finalists in my category:

On Thursday, April 23, from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am, I will be attending the Faery Ball as part of the Faery Court. I will be a Seelie (one of the good faeries ;}) and will be dressed as a Victorian Faery inspired by my Relics of Merlin series. You can meet all the fae, good & bad, here: http://www.thefaerycourt.com/faerycourtindex.html

On Saturday, April 25, I will be signing books at the Giant Book Fair from 11:00 to 2:00 pm.On that same day, from 5:00-7:00 pm I will be attending the Mr. Romance competition (more about that below!)Then from 8:00-9:00 pm I will be at the Dorchester Authors MixerAnd then from 9:00 pm to until-I-keel-over I'll be at Dorchester's Splashing by the Shore Dance Party

Now, a bit about the Mr. Romance contest. Dorchester Publishing is again sponsoring this competition, where one lucky winner will have the opportunity to model for a Dorchester romance cover. The models will be portraying the heroes from several books...and my hero from Enchanting the Beast (book 3 in the Relics of Merlin series) has been chosen! This is my very first RT conference, and how wonderful it will be to see my hero brought to life. I can hardly wait!

Here's the mini character write up I did for the model:

Sir Nicodemus WulfsonBasics: Goes by Nico. Wears Victorian clothing: Black frock coat, waistcoat, black trousers and boots, all a bit worn and frayed. His cravat is often undone and just slung around his neck with his white linen shirt half-buttoned. He rarely wears a hat. His hair is long and often shaggy, slung over his forehead and eyes, as if to hide his thoughts from others.Nico info: Nico is a were-wolf, whose beast enjoys the thrill of the hunt and the taste of his kill, which often worries the man. He swims nude in moonlit glades and is more comfortable in the forest than his own castle. He goes after what he wants with single-minded ruthlessness. He cannot be tamed, but he can be gentled, and the right woman for him will have to meet his predatory gaze without fear.

;}

Enchanting the Beast will be released around the time of the RT convention, and hot off the presses from my publisher.

I was already incredibly excited about attending my first RT, and now I'm just over the moon! If you live in Florida, or are attending the event yourself, I do hope I meet you there!